Friday, February 9, 2018

He’s on trial for federal racketeering — but a reputed Mafioso’s wife is the one who got blindsided by a mob rat in Manhattan court Wednesday.
Gangland snitch John “Junior’’ Rubeo testified that accused
Philadelphia crime boss Joseph “Skinny Joey’’ Merlino had a goumada,
prompting gasps from some of the reputed Mafioso’s two dozen beefy
supporters sitting in the federal courtroom — and his wife Deborah’s
face to freeze in shock.
When the judge called a break a short time later, Deborah Merlino
slowly got up and walked out, trailed by her hubby’s retinue with Joey
following a short distance behind.
The couple huddled in the hallway, talking in hushed tones while
surrounded by their entourage, which then blocked the doors to an
elevator car as Joey and Deborah got in.
During the lunch break, Joey approached a Post reporter outside the
courthouse and vainly tried to rewrite history, saying: “Don’t put the
girl in,” referring to his alleged former mistress.
Rubeo dropped the bombshell claim of Merlino’s affair during his cross-examination.
Rubeo had been testifying about the role of an unidentified
pharmaceutical saleswoman in an insurance-fraud scam that Merlino
allegedly ran when he unexpectedly blurted out, “Listen, he got caught
sleeping with her.”
“He ended the relationship with her. It was his connection. He said,
‘She sends things to my house, my wife is going to find out,’ ” Rubeo
added.
Defense lawyer Edwin Jacobs Jr. apparently couldn’t believe his ears
and asked Rubeo, “So now you are telling us that Joey slept with this
rep?”
“Yes, that’s what he told me,” the former Genovese crime-family associate said.
Deborah Merlino’s scowling at Rubeo quickly turned to a look of shock.
Still, Rubeo’s out-of-the-blue testimony wasn’t the first time Joey
and Deborah’s relationship has been rocked by courtroom allegations of
infidelity.
In 2003, drug dealer William Rinick — an associate of Joey’s —
testified while on trial for murder that he once drove Deborah to
Maryland for an abortion following her affair with an unidentified pro
football player from New York, which occurred while Joey was in the
slammer.
At the time, Joey’s lawyer dismissed Rinick’s claim as made-up
retaliation against Deborah for testifying against him. But the
prosecutor in the case told The Post that it was believed that Deborah
had cheated on her hubby and the trip to the Maryland abortion clinic
took place — although Rinick was believed to have been the lover.
In 2001, Rinick was busted in his underwear during a drug raid at
Joey and Deborah’s South Philly townhouse, three days after Joey was
sentenced to 14 years in prison for racketeering.
Authorities said Rinick was found hiding under a bed, but he
testified he was reaching for a prosthetic leg he began using after a
motorcycle crash in his teens.